🚀 go-pugleaf

steven@sgb.oau.org (Steven Bradley) wrote:

>Warning - Avoid Gateway Computers (aka Gateway 2000).

>Recently, during the course of my business I received a call from a friend
>that an associate of his was purchasing a computer system from Gateway.  He
>called because tax was attempting to be levied from this out of state
>supplier on this purchaser in the state of Florida.

>I verified with the state the sales tax ID number provided by Gateway and
>according to them they are registered to collect sales tax for thirty
>states.  I presume they pay for the manpower needed to do the paperwork
>each month for these monies collected.

>I learned they do in fact have a tax id for Florida.  This means that anyone
>in Florida will be charged sales tax when doing business with this out of
>state computer company.  My advice is to find someone else who is out of state
>and save paying the tax!

<much ranting & raving snipped>

Actually, the Florida sales tax is formally and officially known as
the "Sales & Use Tax". This is important because if you (a resident of
Florida) purchase from an out-of-state mail-order vendor who does not
collect sales tax then you (the consumer) are responsible for
remitting the equivalent amount to the State as the "Use" tax. This is
not unique to Florida, and most states are becoming more cooperative
in passing information back & forth on out-of-state purchases. Many
Florida residents purchase furniture directly from the manufacturers
in North Carolina and have it shipped to Florida to avoid sales tax.
The State has caught on to this and now checks the shipping manifests
on trucks entering the State and if you have not paid sales tax they
send you a polite letter "suggesting" that you remit the appropriate
amount within a certain period of time.

Que sera sera!